Electric cable connector

ABSTRACT

An electric cable connector which will accept cable ends of the type having a connector lug secured thereto. The connector lugs are clamped into a conducting body portion which is covered by a cylindrical insulating cover detachably secured thereon. The body is split and is forced together by rotating the insulator sleeve with respect to the body.

United States Patent 1191 Pertuil June 18, 1974 [5 1 ELECTRIC CABLE CONNECTOR 1,466,735 9/1923 Williams 339/248 R 1,751,572 3/1930 Beemer 339/248 S [76] Inventor. John R. Pertult, PO. Box 445, 1,973,322 9/1934 Staples 339/268 R Lullng, 70070 2,821,690 1/1958 M11161 339/109 2,859,424 11/1958 Bemdt 339/248 [22] 1972 2,901,725 8/1959 Schuyler 24/125 R x [21] Appl. No.1 284,497 2,935,720 5/1960 Lorimer 339/205 x Related U S Application Data 2,966,653 12/1960 Jugle 339/95 D [62] Ser. No 1 16,761, Feb. 19, 1971, Pat. No. ima y Exa ine Bobby R. Gay

Assistant ExaminerRobert A. l-lafer 521 US. 01. 339/202, 339/205 R, 339/248 R, Attorney Agent, Firm-Barman Blshoff & Plan 339/213 R, 339/274, 339/268 S [51] Int. Cl ..1-101r 5/12 [58] Field of Search... 339/89 R, 89 M, 242, 248 R, ABSTRACT g g 2 fig g g f% An electric cable connector which will accept cable 273 273F 273 274 ends of the type having a connector lug secured 203 204 24/125 81 thereto. The connector lugs are clamped into a con- 4 126 136 ducting body portion which is covered by a cylindrical insulating cover detachably secured thereon. The body is split and is forced together by rotating the in- [56] UNITE S gF XSF ES SZqFENTS sulator sleeve with respect to the body.

939,501 11/1909 Hinds 339/268 S 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 ELECTRIC CABLE CONNECTOR This is a divisional of my copending application for ELECTRIC CABLE CONNECTOR, Ser. No. 1 16,761 filed Feb. 19, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,693,138.

The present invention relates to electric cable connectors particularly those which are used in electric welding.

In the present invention electric cables having connector lugs secured thereto are inserted into a body and clamped therein by rotating the insulator sleeve to clamp body halves together. In the form of the invention having the body halves clamped together by rotation of the insulating sleeve the clamping jaws may optionally clamp on the connector lug or directly on the wire.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an electric cable connector for use with electric welding cable of the type normally having connector lugs attached thereto for quickly, conveniently and efficiently connecting the lugs through a conductor body.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the opposite end of the connector.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 40 indicates generally an electric cable connector constructed in accordance with the invention.

The electric cable connector 40 is adapted for use with heavy duty electric cables 21 of the type used for electric welding and the like. The electric cable 21 includes a relatively large conductor wire 22 covered by an insulating cover 23. The wire 22 extends beyond the insulating cover 23 at one end and has a lug 24 of conventional design clamped onto the wire 22. The lug 24 includes a generally flat tongue 25 having a transverse bore 26 extending therethrough.

The construction of the cable 21 and lug 24 is conventional.

The electric cable connector 40 includes a longitudinal body half 41 and a longitudinal body half 42 which together are of generally cylindrical form and have conically tapering end portions 43, 44. The body half 41 has a bore 45 adjacent the conical end portion 42 opening through the center face thereof. The bore 45 has a cylindrical boss 46 formed at its inner end on which to mount one end of a compression coil spring 47. A bore 48 is formed in the body half 42 in axially aligned relation to the bore 45 and has a boss 49 formed in its inner end to receive the opposite end of the compression coil spring 47. The coil spring 47 normally urges the body halves 41, 42 apart.

A bore 50 is formed in the body half 41 adjacent the 6 conical end 44 thereof and opening through the inner face of the body half 41. A cylindrical boss 51 is formed in the inner end of the bore 50 and a compression coil spring 52 is mounted thereon. A bore 53 is formed in the body half 42 in axially aligned relation to the bore 50 and has a boss 54 formed in its inner end and the compression coil spring 52 has its opposite end mounted thereon. The compression spring 52 normally urges the body halves 41, 42 apart.

The body half 41 adjacent the tapered end 43 is provided with a dome 55 extending toward the body half 42 and the body half 42 is provided with a semispherical socket 56 aligned with the dome 55 to receive the dome 55 when the body half 41 is brought into engagement with the body half 42.

The conical end 44 of the body halves 41, 42 have their inner opposed faces serrated at 57, 58 respectively for reasons to be assigned. An insulating generally cylindrical clamping sleeve 59 is externally threaded at 60 on one end thereof and has a reduced diameter portion 61 formed internally thereof with a conical opening 62 extending therethrough for engagement with the conical taper 43 on the body halves 41, 42.

A clamping sleeve 63 is externally threaded at 64 at one end thereof and has a reduced diameter portion 65 formed internally thereof with a conical opening 66 extending therethrough for cooperation with the conical taper 44 of the body halves 41, 42. The threads 60 and the threads 64 are formed oppositely for reasons to be assigned.

A generally cylindrical insulating sleeve 67 is internally threaded at 68 with threads to cooperate with the threads 60 and is internally threaded at its opposite end at 69 to cooperate with the threads 64. Rotation of the sleeve 67 about its axis will draw the clamping sleeve 59 and the clamping sleeve 63 inwardly when rotated in one direction and force them outwardly when rotated in the opposite direction. Inward movement of the clamping sleeves 59, 63 toward each other causes the conical openings 62, 66 to force the tapered ends 43, 44 toward each other to bring the body halves 41, 42 into contact. As the clamping sleeves 59, 63 are moved away from each other in an outward direction the springs 47, 52 force the body halves 41, 42 apart and release anything clamped therebetween. The dome 55. on the body half 41 engages through the bore 26 of one of the lugs 24 and as the body halves 41, 42 are drawn together the tongue 25 is clamped tightly therebetween.

At the opposite end of the connector 40, the wire 22 is engaged between the serrated faces 57, 58 respectively of the body halves 41, 42 and is clamped therebetween by axial movement of the clamping sleeve 63 with respect to the body halves 41, 42.

The body halves 41, 42 are formed of highly conductive metal to establish a good connection between the cables 21 connected thereby.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric cable connector for electrically connecting two cables comprising:

a a pair of conductive body halves arranged in opposed relationship and having clamping faces in opposed relation at opposite ends thereof;

b resilient biasing means normally urging said body halves apart;

c an insulating clamping sleeve engaged over each opposite end of said body halves;

d each of said clamping sleeves having an externally threaded portion;

e an outer insulating internally threaded sleeve oppositely threaded on said externally threaded portions of said clamping sleeves;

so that rotation of said outer sleeve in one direction will simultaneously draw said clamping sleeves together and rotation of said outer sleeve in the opposite direction will simultaneously force said clamping sleeves apart from each other.

2. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 1 further including means for simultaneously urging said pairs of clamping faces together against the force of said resilient biasing means when said clamping sleeves are drawn together and for simultaneously urging said pairs of clamping faces apart when said clamping sleeves are forced apart, by rotation of said outer sleeve.

3. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for simultaneously urging said pairs of faces comprises tapered outer portions on each of said opposite ends of said body halves; and oppositely tapered bosses on each end of said clamping sleeves disposed internally thereof and in engagement with said tapered outer portions of said body halves.

4. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 3 wherein said resilient biasing means comprises spring means and further including means for mounting said spring means between said opposed body halves.

5. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein one pair of said clamping faces are serrated for engaging a wire and the other pair of clamping faces are provided with a dome and mating socket for en gaging with the lug of a cable connector.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one pair of said clamping faces on said body halves are serrated for engaging a wire.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one pair of said clamping faces on said body halves are provided with a dome and mating socket for engaging with the lug of a cable connector. 

1. An electric cable connector for electrically connecting two cables comprising: a a pair of conductive body halves arranged in opposed relationship and having clamping faces in opposed relation at opposite ends thereof; b resilient biasing means normally urging said body halves apart; c an insulating clamping sleeve engaged over each opposite end of said body halves; d each of said clamping sleeves having an externally threaded portion; e an outer insulating internally threaded sleeve oppositely threaded on said externally threaded portiOns of said clamping sleeves; so that rotation of said outer sleeve in one direction will simultaneously draw said clamping sleeves together and rotation of said outer sleeve in the opposite direction will simultaneously force said clamping sleeves apart from each other.
 2. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 1 further including means for simultaneously urging said pairs of clamping faces together against the force of said resilient biasing means when said clamping sleeves are drawn together and for simultaneously urging said pairs of clamping faces apart when said clamping sleeves are forced apart, by rotation of said outer sleeve.
 3. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for simultaneously urging said pairs of faces comprises tapered outer portions on each of said opposite ends of said body halves; and oppositely tapered bosses on each end of said clamping sleeves disposed internally thereof and in engagement with said tapered outer portions of said body halves.
 4. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 3 wherein said resilient biasing means comprises spring means and further including means for mounting said spring means between said opposed body halves.
 5. An electric cable connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein one pair of said clamping faces are serrated for engaging a wire and the other pair of clamping faces are provided with a dome and mating socket for engaging with the lug of a cable connector.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one pair of said clamping faces on said body halves are serrated for engaging a wire.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one pair of said clamping faces on said body halves are provided with a dome and mating socket for engaging with the lug of a cable connector. 